The Russian, who had played just one match since Wimbledon due to a shoulder injury and appeared rusty at times, will take on Halep next in Red group competition in the eight-player, season-ending tournament’s next round-robin matches.
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She retired in the third set of her first match at Wuhan with a left wrist injury.
Sharapova needed two hours and 47 minutes to earn her victory against fifth-seeded Radwanska.
Facing off against a player renowned for her incredible retrieving skills was always likely to be a stamina-sapping test, so Sharapova was impressed by her ability to stay consistent as the clock ticked towards the three hour mark. Sharapova has also improved her head-to-head series 13-2 over the Polish athlete. Sharapova would then be broken for 3-4 despite saving two break points as Radwanska looked to have the match turned on its head.
Her route into the Singapore finals was one that got dragged right till the end. Significantly, the victor played the break points better (defending as well as attacking), which suggests Sharapova had little trouble dialing in her confidence.
Sharapova raced to a 4-1 lead in the second set. The troubles for Sharapova began to pile up as Radwanska continued to put pressure on her service games with her array of shots. The Russian fought her way from behind on Sunday, stealing a three-set victory (4-6, 6-3, 6-4).
Navratilova, 59, frequently commentates on tennis matches and briefly coached Radwanska earlier this season.
“The court being as slow as it is and Halep playing as well as she is, I think this is her way of really salvaging the year”.
That’s why you can pencil her in as the favorite to win the WTA Finals. She was also a finalist in 2007 and 2012. Several fresh names hit the spotlight this year as we started to see a more diverse group of players getting big wins, Serena Williams suddenly withdrew from the season after her near-miss at a Calendar Slam, and of course, a flabbergasted Flavia Pennetta won the US Open alongside an even more surprised Roberta Vinci as a finalist. “I can play my best tennis here yet I didn’t play my best today, but I played good tennis”.
Pennetta, who only qualified for the WTA Finals last week, had beaten Halep the last time they played in the US Open semifinals.
“I still think overall we see the number of injuries and withdrawals is still too high”, she says.
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“I hope and believe I have my chance against her. I think it’s good timing to face her again”.
